Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) was an American politician, financier and political theorist who helped define the meaning of the Constitution by his Federalist Papers (1788), who created the financial and administrative structure of the national government as the first Secretary of the Treasury (1789-1795), created the first modern political party (the Federalist Party starting 1792), and called for a strong national government to protect America against foreign enemies (especially France) and to promote industry, finance, commerce and economic modernization. His great opponent was Thomas Jefferson who accused him of idealizing the corrupt British aristocratic system. Hamilton insisted he was a true believer in Republicanism. Hamilton's enemy in New York politics was Vice President Aaron Burr; Burr killed Hamilton in a duel in 1804.
Bibliography
- Richard Brookhiser. Alexander Hamilton: American (2000)
- Ron Chernow. Alexander Hamilton (2005)
- Forrest McDonald; Alexander Hamilton: A Biography (1979) online edition
- John C. Miller; Alexander Hamilton: Portrait in Paradox (1959) online edition
Primary sources
- Alexander Hamilton. Writings (Library of America edition 2001), 1100pp